Islamabad won't jump the gun in Pathankot probe, says Pak envoy Abdul Basit

Kashmir issue has been the root cause of all “our bilateral problems”, says Pakistani envoy Abdul Basit.

New Delhi: Pakistani High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit on Saturday said that New Delhi and Islamabad are not in a dead-end yet regarding their bilateral talks but his government won't jump the gun in the Pathankot attack probe.

“We are not yet in a cul-de-sac. The spirit of cooperation must be retained,” Basit said, adding “We want to get to the bottom of the Pathankot attack but it is necessary that we don't jump the gun.”

Stressing that mutual dialogue is key to normalizing relations, he said that “Dialogue is not a favor by one country to another but a necessity.”

He said the Kashmir issue has been the root cause of all “our bilateral problems”, and the way forward is to work together to settle the issue.

“Neither war nor disengagement is an option, world calls for active cooperation to address common challenges including terrorism,” he added.

Islamabad has said that it will send a team to India to probe any Pakistani link in the deadly terror attack on the Air Force base in Pathankot recently.

New Delhi has asked Pakistan to inform it at least 5 days in advance before their visit. However, Pakistan is yet to confirm the dates.

A recent thaw in the India-Pakistan relations, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lahore visit, was overcast by the sudden Pathankot attack, believed to be carried out by terrorists belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).